Unlike these typical gardens, though, an unusual new organic-container garden created on an asphalt parking lot at Central Presbyterian Church is providing a bountiful harvest.

The project began less than two years ago to provide local Christian missions with much-needed fresh fruits and vegetables. After the spring harvest, Central Presbyterian Church and 34 other churches assisting with the garden donated 1,500 pounds of fruit and vegetables to the Christian Community Service Center.

"All the produce in the garden goes to the emergency services (at the Christian Community Service Center) to help tide them over," said Guinn Blackwell-Eagleson, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church, 3788 Richmond.

"It's intended to be a neighbor-helping-neighbor project, because (the produce) is grown by members of our community for the community."

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The motivation for the Greenway-area garden began when church members chose the theological theme "Stewardship of Creation" at the beginning of 2000.

Members decided to utilize the parking lot because it provided plenty of space. After doing a little research, they learned that they would be able to grow produce on the asphalt surface.

The Central Presbyterian Church, a founding church for the garden, knew that their 200-member congregation couldn't build and maintain the garden alone, so they decided to ask for additional assistance from churches of all denominations, Blackwell-Eagleson said.

Members first met to build three raised beds in the garden with the assistance of a master gardener.

The beds were built over eight-inch concrete blocks, stacked three blocks high. Underneath the blocks, the bottoms were lined with biodegradable newspapers.

During that first workday, rain poured down and Blackwell-Eagleson anticipated that many volunteers would not attend the workday.

"I thought no one would come," she said. "It was amazing. We had 55 to 60 people come, and the next workday it doubled, and it doubled again after that.

"Now there's harvesting going on just about every day -- two to three bags everyday during the heavy season," Blackwell-Eagleson said.

"I got involved last September, and we had five raised beds built on asphalt with good soil. Since then we've built 10 (additional) raised beds," said Ken Dorman, former president of Harris County Gardener's Association. "We've been actively involved."

Volunteers who assist in caring for and harvesting the fruit and vegetables are trained to recognize when the produce is fully ripe.

"You have to know what it's supposed to look like when it's ripe and be shown how to harvest it without damaging (the produce)," Blackwell-Eagleson said.

Blackwell-Eagleson said there have been some unexpected benefits reaped from the asphalt garden. Because the garden has no grassy areas, volunteers who use wheelchairs and people who have a hard time bending or stooping have an easier time.

"It really enables more people to volunteer and work in the garden," she said.